Exploring The Waste Land
A commentary page linked from The Waste Land, Part I, line 74

Anubis, ancient Egypt's jackel-headed god of death
Line 74

The reason why Eliot may have chosen to capitalize Dog in the line

may be to allude to Sirius the Dog Star or to the Egyptian god Anubis.

From http://www.louisville.edu/~aoclar01/ancient/egypt/egyptgod.htm June 7, 2000

Anubis, the jackel-headed god, oversaw the passage of souls into the unseen world of the dead. He attended the preparation of the body after death. With his scale of justice, he would weigh the heart of each victim, judging the measure of their good and bad deeds. Anubis presides over tombs, and is often depicted standing over one who has just been laid to rest upon a bier. The dog or jackel is Anubis' sacred animal.


Exploring The Waste Land
File name: cq074.html
File date: Sunday, September 29, 2002
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